Moving to Southampton as a student

Southampton is one of the great British port towns on the south coast and welcomes an impressive number of students each year. Students coming to study at the University of Southampton or Southampton Solent University all have a great time getting to know the city and all it has to offer. The two universities have a combined student population of over 40,000. With a quirky social and artistic scene, Southampton is perched right on the coast and offers a great mixture of city and coastal living.

Why choose Southampton?

Southampton is a traditionally maritime city, and has become known as the Cruise Capital of Europe. Although this may not attract students, it does mean that the city has a huge array of tourist sites, restaurants and things to do to keep you occupied in between lectures. With a fascinating industrial history and links to the Titanic, there are several maritime and naval museums such as SeaCity Museum, as well as walking tours, to help you learn about the city’s history. Southampton has great markets and shopping opportunities, including the West Quay Shopping Centre and the more unique Bedford Place. Southampton has a thriving arts and music scene; pop to Southampton City Art Gallery for one of the UK’s best publically owned exhibitions or check out the offering at the Southampton O2 Guildhall or Talking Heads. Southampton FC have played at St Mary’s stadium since 2001, and tickets are much cheaper than many other major clubs so matches are a great way to support your new home city.

Save money in Southampton

Although it may be in the South, Southampton is not as expensive to live in as one might think. With so many students in the city, many businesses will offer student discounts to retain their competitive edge. Your university student card will be enough to get you most of these discounts. Jesters, the most important club in Southampton, offers a Jesters card for discounted entry – students of both unis will find this invaluable! They also do incredibly cheap drinks – 50p pints on Mondays – so is a top spot for a night out. The Lord of the Rings themed Hobbit Pub is a great and unusual choice, not to mention brilliant for student nights and student discounts! Southampton Common is a great free day out; the large open parkland is a great place to chill out with friends, do some exercise or get in touch with nature. Southampton has fascinating history that can be seen on many of the walking trails such as the QE2 Mile. You can see more of the area with a trip to the nearby New Forest, a ferry ride to Hythe or a summer Beach Bus tour - a Beach Bus ticket will get you discounts and free ice cream!

What type of accommodation should I choose in Southampton?

Many students will choose student housing in their first year at university, but there are lots of other options out there. To get the most out of your time as a student in Southampton, it’s important that your find suitable, affordable accommodation that doesn’t eat up your whole budget for the month. To save money and help you get settled in the region, why not look for a flatshare in Southampton or a spare room with a landlord. It’s a great way to make new friends and the local knowledge of a live in landlord or flatmate can make the settling in process a whole lot easier – whether it’s a local or another student!

Author: Roomlala

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